The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category 'Other. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category 'Necessary'. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category 'Functional'. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category 'Analytics'. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Oh, hi there! Is that a battle-ax in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Although I’m not sure I would be so happy if I went to a party and saw a bunch of people dressed up as rabbits. It also lives on in your perfectly normal fancy-dress party.

The medieval theme of “The World Upside Down” lives on today, for example in the Carnival on Mardi Gras, most famously celebrated in Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans. When the rabbit perform acts of violence against a human being or dominate the hunting dog this is to be seen as a symbol for cowardice on behalf of the victim of the rabbit's actions. The drollery containing images of rabbits is called 'The World Upside Down,' which was a common theme in medieval culture. When rabbits are depicted participating in human activities these images are called 'drolleries' or 'grotesque.' The most typical form of drollery is the mixed-species beast, such as a fish with a cow's head or a dog with a dragon tail. Rabbits were also seen as innocent and vulnerable and are often found in images of Christ. Rabbits were seen as the animal representing the God-fearing man who put his trust in God and not in other people. The medieval symbolism of the rabbit is grounded in the Bible. Here rabbits take on the role of the humans and go to war wielding swords, lances, and battle-axes. Here it is the rabbit riding the dog as if it were a horse. Most often these rabbits do perfectly normal, rabbity things, such as jumping around in tall grass with other bunnies or being hunted by humans and dogs.īut rabbits also appear in images where the roles are reversed. Some themes of marginalia are commonly occurring. Many of the world’s most brilliant minds have tried to figure out why these images appeared, what was the purpose of them, and most important of all: what do they mean? Images in the margins of medieval manuscripts began appearing in north-western Europe in the thirteenth century. Who knew that Thumper could be so vicious? And especially when sweet, innocent animals, such as rabbits, turn into lean, mean killing machines. We especially like the manuscripts where weird things happen in the margins. Here at Quirk Books we are of the opinion that medieval manuscripts are among the most amazing works of book art there are.

Killer rabbits in medieval manuscripts